1. (Field of the Invention)
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer or a personal word processor, having a processor control unit.
2. (Related Background Art)
Current versions of portable or transportable information processing apparatus, such as personal computers and personal word processors, have an internal data preserve function which preserves a status at the time of power-off and restores the preserved status when the power is next turned on to continue data processing. In this function, the status at the time of the power-off including the displayed content is stored in a memory when the operation status of the information processing apparatus is displayed on a display screen, and when the power is turned on again the information processing apparatus can resume with the same status as that at the time of the power-off. When such a mechanism is operated, an operator notices the power-off condition because the brightness of the display or a back light is darkened when a power switch is turned off during the operation of the information processing apparatus. However, in reality, data is being moved to the memory in the information processing apparatus to back up the data. When all processing is completed after a predetermined time period, a portion or all of the power supply circuit is turned off.
When the power switch is later switched from the turn-off state to the power-on state, the operator notices the state change because the display is brightened. However, in the processing unit, the backed-up data are being moved to the memory of the processing apparatus or the display and the processing apparatus will not work initially even if the operator depresses a key of a keyboard. That is, the completion of restoration of the preserved status is delayed from the moment of switching to the power-on state when such a function is installed, and there is no means to clearly determine when the restoration of the preserved status has been completed.
Further, the movement of the back-up data to the processing apparatus when the power is turned on may not be normally performed. In such a case, the processing apparatus does not work even if a key of the keyboard is depressed or, even if it works, the execution gradually becomes out of order.